Registering apparatus for printing forms



y 1941- A. HOFRICHTER' 2,249,245

REGISTERING APPARATUS. FOR PRINTING FORMS Filed 001:. 31, 1940 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 g BY A T TORNE Ys 'July 15, 1941. A. HOFRICHTER 2,249,245

REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING FORMS Filed Oct. 51, 1940 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 7 L 3 Lu 1/ m 32 3/ 10 9 &\ h\ m INVENTOR. 4L 1. EN ore /cH T52.

BY MM ,4 TTORNEYS Patented July 15, 1941 naars'ranme mm'ms roa' rauv'rme roams Allen Hofrichter, Suffer-n, N. Y. Application October 31, 1940, Serial No. 363,654

20 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of printing and has particular reference to an apparatus for registering elements of printing forms in a chase preparatory to the actual printing operation.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of simple and practical construction which will enable a compositor to set up in a chase, with extreme accuracy and within a minimum of time, the printing forms including types, cuts and the like, in accordance with the indicated positions thereof on the usual control or layout sheet supplied to the compositor.

Another and more specific object is to employ an indicating device in association with a chase and a control sheet, and to mount the latter on a rotatable cylinder supported on a movable carriage in such manner that said device may be used to indicate any point in a chase which corresponds-to any definite or preselected point on saidsheet, thereby to enable a compositor to accurately place a printing form in said chase in accordance with the indicated positions of various elements of said form on the control sheet.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a transverse section throughthe apparatus taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the apparatus, partly in section, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of an indicating mechanism and associated elements forming part of the apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 6 indicates a table or support sometimes referred to as a stone" on which a printing chase l is adapted to be mounted and abutted against guide pins 8 when setting up therein printing forms which include type, cuts, illustrations and other material.

The apparatus of the present invention is atfixed to the table 6 and comprises a pair of rack bars 9 disposed in parallel relation and on opby the chase I. As shown in Figures 3 and 4. the opposed faces of each of the rack bars 9 are provided with longitudinal grooves III which form trackways for the inturned flanges ll of one of the side frames l2 constituting a part of a slidable carriage which is movable longitudinally back and forth along the rack bars 9. The two side frames l2 are connected at opposite ends thereof by two transverse guide bars I3 each of which slidably supports an indicator device, generally designated by the numeral l4, and the purpose of which will appear in the course of the description. These indicator devices are of identical construction and one is provided at each end of the apparatus so that a compositor can work from either or both of said ends depending upon the size of the chase l and its location upon the table 6.

In the central enlarged portions of the frames l2, the same are provided with bearings l5 for receiving the trunnions l6 of a rotatable control sheet-supporting cylinder H having a covering l8 which may be of rubber or similar material. The cylinder I! has a shaft i9 extending centrally therethrough and projecting beyond the ends of the trunnions i6 and said cylinder is capable of relative rotation on said shaft and also of unitary movement therewith when the shaft is rotated. At opposite ends of the shaft I9 the same has keyed thereon two gears 20 and 2| the pitch diameter of both of which is the same as the diameter of the cylinder I! so that as the carriage is moved longitudinally by reason of the engagement of the gears 20, 2| with the teeth of the rack bars 9, the amount of peripheral movement of the cylinder, when it is coupled to the gears 20, 2|, will equal the distance traversed by the carriage, the rotation of said cylinder being effected by reason of the engagement of said gears with the teeth of therack bars 9. A movement of the carriage and cylinder in either direction may be accomplished by grasping either of the guide bars l3 or some portion of the frame so as toadjust the carriage to an approximate position. When desiring a more minute adjustment of the carriage and rotation of the cylinder, a vernier is employed consisting of intermeshing gears 22 and 23 mounted, respectively, on the outer face of the gear 20 and the top of the adjacent side of the frame l2. The gear 23 carries a knurled disk 24 for manipulation of the vernier adjustment and this disk may be engaged by a spring detent 25 to frictionally retain the same in adjusted positions. In order to conposite sides of the space on the table 6 occupied nect the cylinder ll to the gear 20 when unitary rotation thereof with the shaft i8 is desired, a coupling or clutch device is provided'consisting of two friction plates 26 and 21 carried, respectively, by the end of the cylinder i1 and said gear 28. The plate 21 has pins 28 extending therefrom and through the gear 28 and at the outer ends of said pins there: is mounted a disk 28 adapted to be engaged by a cam 38 mounted upon the adjacent end of the shaft l8. By operating said cam, the disk 28 and the friction plate 21 ars moved inwardly until the latter engages with the plate 28, thereby coupling the cylinder i1 and the gear 28. When said plates 28, 21 are separated by a reverse operation of the cam 38 the cylinder i! will be free to rotate relatively to the carriage in which it is mounted.

Supported in the lower portions of the two side frames i2 is a pressure roller 3| yieldably helQ, in engagement with the periphery of the cylinder I! by springs 32. This roller is employed to aid in retaining a control or layout sheet 33 in engagement with the surface of the cylinder il after said sheet has been properly mounted thereon preparatory to setting up the printing forms in the chase 1. The roller 3| may be moved out of contact with the cylinder by the depression of cam levers 34 pivoted to the side frames and engaged with the extremities or trunnions of the roller 3|. To further aid in retaining the control sheet 33 in proper position upon the cylinder IT, a pair of spring grippers 38 are' mounted upon a bar 36 extending between the side frames l2 on each side of the cylinder II.

For purposes which will appear in the course of the description, the surface of the cylinder i1 is provided longitudinally thereof with a paper guide line 31 and a peripheral center line 38, and is' further provided at one end thereof with a scale 38. In association with the lines 31, 38 on the cylinder, the frame of the chase 'I is provided with a corresponding paper line 48 and center line 4|. Also each guide bar I3 is provided on one face thereof with a scale 42. On one or both of the guide bars l3 there may be mounted a slide 43 carrying a marker or pencil 44 which may be employed to mark longitudinal and transverse lines on the control sheet or a press proof thereof when the same are mounted on the cylinder H.

A transparent scanning plate 45 is hingedly connected at 48 to the side frames |2 directly above the cylinder l1 and this plate may be swung to either side of the apparatus and rested upon cushion abutments 41. This plate is supplied for the convenience of the compositor in determining on a press proof whether there is any overlap of printed matter on opposite sides of the sheet when both sides are printed. By placing a source of light beneath the plate, the compositor may readily compare opposite sides of the sheet to determine that the printed matter on said sides is properly placed.

Each indicator device |4 comprises two indicators 48 and 48 hingedly connected at 58 to enable the latter indicator to be swung upwardly from a position contiguous to the chase I when said indicator is not in use. The indicator 48 is arranged during the operation of the apparatus so that its free extremity is disposed adjacent the control sheet 33 on the cylinder H. The support for this indicator device comprises a slide 5| mounted for longitudinal movement on the guide bar I3 and carrying a follower block 52 grooved in its upper surface to receive a part of the indicator 48 which is secured in said groove by the screw 53. At the ends of the slide 8|, the same is provided with bearings 54 in which is threaded a finely pitched screw 55 which provides a vernier for minute adjustments of the block 52, and consequently the indicators 48, 48 after the slide 5| has been adjusted to an approximate desired position. The block 52 also carries a pointer 58 associated with the scale 42 for a purpose which will later appear..

In practice, when a compositor is furnished with a control sheet 33 on which the usual markings for a layout appear, the sheet is first mounted upon the cylinder H in a position such as shown in Figure 1. In accomplishing this, the cylinder i1 is first uncoupled from the gear 28 by manipulation of the cam 38 so as to enable the cylinder to freely rotate relative to the carriage l2. The paper and center lines of the control sheet are then aligned with the corresponding lines 31, 38 on the cylinder and engaged beneath the grippers 35, and between the cylinder and the pressure roller 3|. Then, after the chase I has been placed upon the table 8, the indicator device I4 is moved along the bar l3 and the cylinder I1 is rotated until the free extremity of the pointer 48 is positioned at the intersection of the paper and center lines, as indicated in Figure 2. The carriage, including the frames i2, is then moved along the rack bars 8, without rotating the cylinder until the lower extremity of the indicator 48 is positioned directly above the point where the paper and center lines 48, 4| on the chase 1 would intersect. The cylinder I1 is then coupled to the gear 28 by actuating the cam 38 to engage the two friction plates 28, 21 so that any consequent movement of the carriage will result in a corresponding rotation of the cylinder i1 and due to the fact that the diameters of said cylinder and the gears 28, 2| are the same, the amount of peripheral movement of the cylinder will be equal to the linear movement of the carriage. The compositor may now proceed to set up a printing form in the chase I in accordance with the layout on the control sheet 33. In the course of accomplishing this, it is desired to accurately locate in the chase various elements of the form and specific points thereof, in accordance with the positions of such elements and points on said control sheet. Thus, to determine in the chase the location of a definite preselected point on the control sheet, the carriage is moved longitudinally, with the resulting rotation of the cylinder l1, and the indicator device I4 is adjusted along the bar l3 until the indicator 48 is aligned with the preselected point on the control sheet. As these movements of the carriage, cylinder and indicator device are effected, the indicator 48 will move over the chase I and when the desired position of the indicator 48 is attained, the point in the chase 1 corresponding to the then selected point on the control sheet will be indicated by the indicator 48. Following this procedure, the compositor may accurately, and with rapidity, set up in the chase the various elements of the printing form as indicated on the control sheet and as the set up is made in the chase it is locked in position through the various instrumentalities customarily used for this purpose. If the chase I happens to be a particularly long one, the compositor may first work at one end of the apparatus and then at the other where he may employ the indicator device H on the opposite side of the cylinder I'I.

There are times during the course of setting up a printing form, .or after the form has been completely set up, when it is desirable to check the positions of various elements in the chase. It is for this purpose that the scales 39 and 42 are provided. These scales may be employed in various ways; for example, if the control sheet should indicate thereon, as is frequently the case, that a space of definite width across the chase is to remain blank, the compositor may, by moving the slide and'its pointer 58 to the left or right a distance along the scale equal to that designated on the control sheet, and then note on said chase, by means of the indicator 49, the boundaries of said space. Similarly, if a space is to be left along the length of the chase, the cylinder I! may be rotated the required amount indicated on the control sheet with the scale 39 as a guide, and the carriage will be moved longitudinally of the chase so that the indicator 49 will define the limits of said space on the chase. The scales 39 and 42 may also be employed, after a. printing form has been locked in the chase, to ascertain whether any discrepancy or shifting in the position of said form has occurred in the locking-up process. For instance, if it is desired to check the position of a form crosswise of the chase, the slider 5| is shifted until the indicator 48 registers with a point on the control sheet corresponding with a similar point of the form in the chase. If the latter point is oil-set laterally from the indicator 49, note is made of the position of the pointer 56 along the scale 42, and said indicator 49 is then moved, by an adjustment of the slider 5|, to the actual position of said point in the chase. In so doing, the pointer 56 is also moved along the scale and when said actual position is reached, note is again made of the scale reading and the distance between the two readings made indicates the amount of discrepancy in the position of the printing form. The compositor can then proceed to shift the printing form the required amount to properly position the same. may be followed with respect to the scale on the cylinder when shifting of a form lengthwise of the chase becomes necessary. The scales 39 and 42 may also be used for an arithmetic calculation for locking up multiple units of the same dimensions.

It will be apparent that the present apparatus may be utilized for multi-colored work and when so employed the original control sheet may be used throughout the operation, or preferably, a press copy of the first color may be used and this first copy then substituted for the control on the cylinder.

What is claimed is:

1. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a cylinder for carrying a control sheet, means to support said cylinder for movements relative to a printing chase, means to so move said cylinder, and indicating members movable with said supporting means and relative to said cylinder for indicating a point on said chase corresponding to a preselected point on said 0011- trol sheet.

2. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder supported in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet thereon, means to rotate said cylinder, and two indicators mounted for unitary movement on A like procedure jacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

3. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with said carriage and also having rotary movements relative thereto, means to eflect said rotary movements of the cylinder, and indicating members movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder for indicating a point on said chase corresponding to a preselected point on said control sheet.

4. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with said carriage and also having rotary movements relative thereto, means to effect said rotary movements of the cylinder, and two indicators supported by and movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder, one of said indicators arranged adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

5. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a-control sheet is mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with said carriage and also having rotary movements relative thereto, means to effect said rotary movements of the cylinder, a guide bar mounted in said carriage, a slide on said bar movable longitudinally of said cylinder, and indicating means carried by saidv slide and including two pointers, one adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

6.' A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with said carriage and also having rotary movements relative thereto, means to so rotate said cylinder, a guide bar mounted insaid carriage, a slide on said bar movable longitudinally of said cylinder, indicating means carried by said slide and including two pointers, one adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase, and a Vernier adjustment for said indicating means mounted on said slide.

'1. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder supported in and movable with said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet thereon, two indicators mounted for unitary movement on said carriage, one of saidindicators arranged adjacent said oontrol sheet and the other contiguous to said chase, and a Vernier adjustment for said said carriage, one of said indicators arranged adindicators.-

' 8. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is, adapted to be mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with said carriage and also having rotary movement relative thereto, mechanism for coupling said cylinder to said carriage so that the cylinder will only rotate when said carriage is moved linearly, means to so rotate said cylinder, and indicating members movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder for indicating a point on said chase corresponding to a preselected point on said control sheet.

9. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is adapted to be mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with said carriage and also having rotary movement relative thereto, mechanism for coupling said cylinder to said carriage so that the cylinder will only rotate when said carriage is moved linearly, means to so rotate said cylinder, and two indicators mounted for unitary movements on said carriage, one of said indicators arranged adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

10. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is adapted to be mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with; said carriage and also having rotary movement relative thereto, mechanism for coupling said cylinder to said carriage so that the cylinder will only rotate when said carriage is moved linearly, means to so rotate said cylinder, and two indicators supported by and movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder, one of said indicators arranged adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

11. A registering apparatus forprinting forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is adapted to be mounted, said cylinder being supported in and movable with said carriage and also having rotary movement relative thereto, mechanism for coupling said cylinder to said carriage so that the cylinder will only rotate when said carriage is moved linearly, means to so rotate said cylinder, a guide bar mounted in said carriage, a slide on said bar movable longitudinally of said cylinder. and indicating means carried by said slide and including two pointers, one adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

12. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising rack bars arranged on opposite sides of a printing chase, a carriage supported for longitudinal movements relative to said rack bars, a cylinder journaled in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet, transmission means for rotating said cylinder including gears connected to the latter and engaged with said rack bars, and indicating members movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder for indicating a point on said chase corresponding to a preselected point on said control sheet. 7

13. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising rack bars arranged on opposite sides of a printing chase, a carriage supported for longitudinal movements relative to said rack bars, a cylinder journaled in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet, transmission means for rotating said cylinder including gears connected to the latter and engaged with said rack bars, and two indicators supported by and movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder, one of said indicators arranged adjacnt said control sheet and the other contiguous to said-chase.

14. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising rack bars arranged on opposite sides of a printing chase, a carriage supported for longitudinal movements relative to said rack bars,

a cylinder journaled in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet, gearing connected to said cylinder and engaged with said rack bars Ior imparting a peripheral movement to said cylinder equal to a linear movement of said carriage, and indicating members movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder for indicating a point on said chase corresponding to a preselected point' on said control sheet.

lb. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising rack bars arranged on opposite sides or a printing chase, a carriage supported for longitudinal movements relative to said rack bars, a cylinder journaled in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet, gearing connected tosaid cylinder and engaged with said rack bars for imparting a peripheral movement to said cylinder equal to a linear movement of said carriage, and two indicators supported by and movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder, one of said indicators arranged adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

16. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising rack bars arranged on opposite sides of a printing chase, a carriage supported for longitudinal movements relative to said rack bars, a cylinder journaled in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet, gearing connected to said cylinder and engaged with said rack bars ior imparting a peripheral movement to said cylinder equal to a linear movement of said carriage, means to disconnect said cylinder from said gearing whereby the cylinder may be rotated independently of the linear movement of said carriage, and indicating members movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder for indicating a point on said chase correspond' ing to a preselected point on said control sheet.

17. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising rack bars arranged on opposite sides of a printing chase, a carriage supported for longitudinal movements relative to said rack bars, a cylinder journaled in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet, gearing connected to said cylinder and engaged with said rack-bars for imparting a peripheral movement to said cylinder equal to a linear movement of said carriage, means to disconnect said cylinder from said gearing whereby the cylinder may be rotated independently of the linear movement of said carriage, and two indicators supported by and movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder, one of said indicators arranged adjafcent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase.

18. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising rack bars arranged on opposite sides of a printing chase, a carriage supported for longitudinal movements relative to said rack bars, a cylinder iournaled in said carriage and adapted to support a control sheet, transmission means for rotating said cylinder including gears connected to the latter'and engaged with said rack bars, said gears being of a pitch diameter equal to the diameter of said cylinder, and indicating members movable with said carriage and relative to said cylinder for indicating a point on said chase corresponding to a preseletced point on said control sheet.

19. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is adapted to be mounted, said cylinder being supported in said carriage for rotary movements relative thereto and unitary linear movements therewith, a guide bar mounted in said carriage, a slide on said bar movable longitudinally of said cylinder, indicating means carried by said slide and including two pointers, one adjacent said control sheet and the other contiguous to said chase, another pointer on said slide, and a scale on said guide bar along which said other pointer moves.

20. A registering apparatus for printing forms comprising a carriage having linear movements relative to a printing chase, a cylinder on which a control sheet is adapted to be mounted, said cylinder being supported in said carriage for rotary movements relative thereto and unitary lin- 

